The Issue:

Democrat Jay Goyal and Republican Phil Holloway are running against each for a 73rd Ohio House district seat.

Our Opinion:

Both are qualified to succeed state Rep. Bill Hartnett. Holloway can't be expected to "restore trust" when he supports campaign ads that are flatly false. Vote Goyal.

Voters in the 73rd Ohio House district, which includes Mansfield and most of Richland County, have a choice between two qualified candidates.

Democrat Jay Goyal and Republican Phil Holloway each offer a thorough understanding of key issues and a sincere dedication to serving the best interests of area residents.

Goyal, 26, is an engineer and vice president of Goyal Industries, his family's business. He worked hard to win the Democratic primary in May and has, he said, "knocked on 10,000 doors" to meet voters.

Holloway. 59, has amassed a wealth of experience during 24 years as an aide to U.S. Rep. Michael Oxley, R-Findlay, and previously as a Mansfield City Council member.

Two good men with a sincere desire to serve.

That said, we endorse Goyal to succeed state Rep. Bill Hartnett. The legislature needs new ideas and fresh approaches to solving problems and we believe Goyal will contribute to them.

Holloway, whose campaign theme is "Restoring hope, restoring trust," has emphasized his opposition to any tax increase. Responding to a questionnaire from the National Federation of Independent Business-Ohio, which asked which of 12 options the candidates might consider to balance the state budget, Holloway said he checked only one: cutting spending.

Goyal has acknowledged that he checked three possible options: cutting spending, raising the sales tax or broadening the base of the sales tax. During a joint News Journal interview with Holloway on Oct. 13, Goyal said the only way he would ever support a sales tax increase would be if there were an overriding, demonstrated need to designate it for a specific purpose. Like a city "pothole tax," he said.

We reject Holloway's political ads, which attempt to alarm voters that Goyal has a tax "plan" that could expand the sales tax to prescription drugs, gasoline and school lunches. That's a misleading stretch of Goyal's questionnaire responses. Goyal has denied any such "plan" and said any suggestion he would support a sales tax on prescription drugs, gasoline or school lunches is absurd.

Holloway, who acknowledges that he approved the ads by the Ohio Republi- can Party in advance, contends they are accurate.

We don't agree. The ads are a scare tactic not based on fact. Holloway has many good qualities, but we would have expected better from him, based on his stated commitment to "restoring trust."

We think district residents will see through this desperate effort and we urge voters to elect Goyal on Nov. 7.